Emergency unit



May 22, 1923. l msmm O. N. WISWELL ET AL EMERGENCY UNIT Filed Aug. 4, 1921 Patented ma 22, new.

entree states than? earner orrrceo OZBO N. WISVVELL AND SCOTT .ALLEN, ms ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS T0 SWINGSPOUT MEASURE 00., DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 01? CALIFORNLEL EMERGENCY UNIT.

Application filed August a, 1921!. Serial mfeaaaaa.

. To a?! whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, 02120 N. \VISWELL and Soon" E. ALLEN, both citizens of the l'nited States, residing at Los Angeles, in

the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Emergency Unit, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobile accessories and equipment, and relates particularly to containers for carrying an emergency supply of fuel, oil and water.

It is the principal object of our invention to provide a unit for carrying an emergency supply of fuel, oil and water, this unit being comprised of a number of containers which may be carried upon the running board of an automobile.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a holding rack for the containe comprising the emer ency unit which 111 y be quickly and secure y attached to the running board. I I M 4 p It is a further object to provide a unit of this type comprisedof a number of containers compactin form and fitted with swinging pouring spouts and bails adapted.

to swing back into recesses formed inv the containers.

It is a further object to provide a container having a pouring spout adjustable to the difi'erent positions required to pour into inconveniently placed openin thereby eliminating the need of a funnel r pouring, and the wastage which accompanies such methods.

It is a further object to provide a container in which the outlet is automatically closed when the spout is swung back, thereby eliminating the attention that is ordinarily given to the replacing of caps and plugs after the vuse of containers, and also preventing leakage while the automobile on which the unit is installed is in motion.

It is also a further object to provide a cover for the unit to confine the upper portions of the containerswhich cover will conceal the retracted spouts and bails and preventthe accumulation of dust upon the tops of the containers, and which cover will be caused to exert a downwardforce upon the tops of the containers to prevent their rattlin These and other objects will become,

evi ent hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an emergency unit of our invention mounted upon an automobile running board, a portion of the unit cover being cut away to show the top arrangement of one of the containers.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section tak n on' a plane represented by the line 2-2 0 Fig. 1.

Fig. it is a fragmentary vertical section taken on a plane represented by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 1s a fragmentary perspective detail illustrating the manner in which the eyes,

by which the clamping hooks engage and secure the cover member, are formed.

5, is a fragmentary sectional view disclosing the manner in which the bail is mounted upon the container.

As shown in Fig. 1 of th drawing, the

emergency unit consists ordinarily of a number of containers 11, 12 and 13,. which may be used for fuel, oil and water, respectively. It is referable to make these con-v tainers of S15) struction as thereby the distinctive features of our invention may best be brought out. The provision of reinforcing corru ations 14: adds greatly to the strength an the unit is to be used.

A rack 20 is provided to hold the con-- tainers upon the running board 21, and is comprised of anchor channels 22 having their forward ends reversely formed to provide a hook 23 extending under the running board. Angle screws 24:, threaded through stantially rectangular conappear: ance of the containers which ma be finished to harmonize withthe automoblle on which the under portion 25 of the channels 22, hear I against the underside of the runnin board, securelyglamping the rack 20 in p a A confining rail 26 is supported by upright members 27 mounted upon the channels .22 by screws 28, asindicatedin Fig. 2. f

A cover 30 fits over the upwr portions of the containers and conceals pouring spouts 31, bails 32, and capped filling months 33. The spouts 31 and the bails 32 rest in receses' 34k and 35 formed in the metal constituting the top 36 of the container, thus allowing the cover 30 to adhere closely to the tops) of the containers. The caps 33 extend a ve the tops of the containers and room is provided for them by\ bumping the cover as indicated at 40. The inner surface of the cover member 30 is covered with a layer of felt 41 which serves as a cushion and prevents the contact of the metal parts and also acts as a dust seal to prevent the entrance of dust around the edges 42 of the cover.

Upon the two ends of the cover 30 are .formed eyes 45by bumping out a portion of the metal as indicated at 46 in Fig. i. These eyes 45 are engaged by hooks 47 formed upon flat bars 48 having their ends bent to provide grips 49 and being attached to rods 50 which are mounted by the members 27. The rods 50 extend through compression springs, illustrated at in Fig. 2, which exert their pressure between collars 56 upon the lower ends of the rods 50 and toes 57 bent up on the vertical members 27, through which toes 57 and the rods 50 pass. end of each of the rods 50 and their surrounding springs 55 and is attached to the member 27 by screws 61. i

Upon putting the cover 30 in place, bars 48 are raised by the grips 49 against the action of the springs 55, and the tongues 47 arehooked in the eyes 45 in the ends of the cover. The downward force exerted by the springs 55 holds the cover 30 securely in place and prevents any rattle between the adjoining parts. comprising the unit.

The spout 31 extends from a tube and is in open communication with the interior of the tube 65 which is turnably mounted upon a stationary tube 66 having connection with the interior of the container.

When the spout 31 is folded back into the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the hole 70 provided in the stationary tube is obstructed by the outer tube 65 and the passage of oil is prevented. When it is desired to empty 3. portion of,-or the entire contents of, a. container the spout 31 thereof is swung around to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, bringing the spout 31 opposite to the opening 70 so that the l quid may flow therethrough. The use of this type of spout assures an absolutely tightrcontainer at all times when same is enclosed beneath the cover 30 as it is impossible to install said cover with the spout 31 in extended position.

The features of novelty which we have A formed plate 60 encloses the lower,

described and illustrated combine to make an article of compact form and desirable appearance which will not detract from the appearance of the automobile with which it is used, and the concealment of all dust collecting parts is a feature which adds greatly to the utility and desirability of the article.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination: a plurality of containers each having a swinging spout; means for holding said containers together; and a single means for locking all of said swinging spouts in their closed positions.

2. A combination as in claim 1 in which the locking means for said spouts also serves to help hold said containers together. 3. A combination as specified in claim 1 in which the means for holding the eontainers together consists of: a frame into which the containers fit, said frame e'nclos ing all of said containers and holdingthem in definite relationship with each other;

4. A combination as in claiin l in which the means for locking all of said swinging spouts in the closed position comprises: a

member fitting over the 'tops of all'of'said containers; and elastic means for pressingv of said conrectangu ar frame; and means for attaching said springs to the means for locking all of said spouts in their closed positions.

8. A combination as in claim 7 in which the means for attaching said springs to the means for locking all of sa d spouts in their closed position comprises: detachable hooks secured to said springs and adapted to hook into said means for locking.

. In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles, California, this 27th day of July. 1921.

OZRO N. WISWELL. SCOTT E. ALLEN. 

